ricecake

Do the private tours accommodate your cruise schedule? Meaning will they have us back to our port at the right time so we don't get left by the boat. This is my biggest fear!!

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You'll get more ideas on the ports of call section.

Thank you! I didn't even know that was there.

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And where do I even start to look for private tours at? Trip advisor? Honestly private tours really make me nervous. This will be my first time cruising and leaving the country.

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I'll look into all these options. We would love to do a your of some kind since our other 2 excursions will be water/beach days. I definitely want to go see the blue hole but from what I understand it's pretty far away from Montego Bay. I could be wrong about that though.

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I want to do an excursion to experience Montego Bay but I'm cautious about using a non-carnival excursion.

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I'm looking for reviews and recommendations for shore excursions/tours in Montego Bay. I've browsed the shore excursions on the carnival site and can't find anything I just love. Would love some recommendations or first hand accounts of what you guys did.

Thanks!

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Wow you're all over the forums aren't you? lol. i was looking at this thread and like here you are again. hehe. So FYI, They don't allow irons in the rooms for obvious reasons so there's one available in the laundry room. but that's just it, there's only "one" and there are a few laundry rooms per floor.

You can never be too prepared! 😀

Make sure you double check that because I think they do add a gratuity for the cheers program. But in any case, valid question. Hopefully everyone's answers helped.

I was told that they do charge gratuity which is fine. I just needed information about how prepaid gratuity worked.

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Hey RiceCake,

 

 

 

You're probably reading all the responses that people are giving each other. This is a time when this thread might just veer off into the tipping topic wastelands. Here's my question to you: If you "had" to pay for a kinder and gentler and more pleasant service experience, and even though you shouldn't have to, would you?

 

 

 

My last cruise, which was last week, I had auto tipped activated, which was done by my travel agent I guess because I didn't opt for this, but If my experience that I had this last cruise was a result of the auto tipping, I would do it again.

 

 

 

There's so many ways to look at this.I tip when I feel like someone deserves it. Not everyone will agree but that's what I do. You don't HAVE to tip, but do realize the difference of the level of service you will have between cruises when tipping and not. If that doesn't bother you then don't worry about tipping extra and enjoy your cruise.

My reason for posting this is because I had no clue how the prepaid tips work. After reading through these comments I now have a better understanding. I know how tipping works. The best services gets the best tips. My main concern was that I wouldn't tip someone that needed to be tipped.

We are planning on doing the cheers program as well. From what I've read they don't charge the 15% percent on drinks so we will be tipping for that.

My point of the post was not to find out who I could get away with not tipping. It was to find out who still needed to be tipped because, like I said, this will be our first cruise.

Thank you everyone for your wealth of information.

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I have a question about packing. I know there is a formal night. Do you guys take your formal clothing on clothes hangers and they deliver it with your luggage or do you pack it and have someone iron it?

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Thank you for all your responses! I definitely will take all this into account. I want to make sure I was doing things right and didn't want to leave anyone out! [emoji3]

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If 15% gratuity is charged are we still expected to tip the bartenders and/or wait staff?

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Thank you! I'll check that out.

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Hello all,

I just recently booked my first cruise! Round of applause for that :) Although I won't be setting sail for a while now. We will be sailing out of Galveston in July 2017 on the Freedom.

Can someone please explain prepaid gratuities to me? At booking I did select this option. I would like to know to who these tips go to? Are there still people that we will need to tip? Does the staff know that we have prepaid gratuities? I would hate for someone to think we aren't tipping them for their services. I need info for this! Thanks!